Fostering a whole-school approach to sustainability: learning from one school’s journey towards sustainable education

Abstract

This study reports on how one whole-school community in Melbourne, Australia fosters sustainable education (SE). The initiatives and frameworks put in place within one independent school were investigated using an in-depth case study drawing on observations conducted over 12 months. Whole-school events and four focus classes, one from each stage of schooling including the Early Learning Centre, Primary Years (Prep to 6), Middle Years (7–9) and Senior Years (10–12), were observed, school documents were analysed and semi-structured interviews were conducted with four senior staff members. Results indicate that the current concepts, models and tools in use are facilitating positive changes towards SE. We illuminate the complexities involved with enacting SE in a whole-school setting and document implications for school practice. This article offers a summary of key elements that support a whole-school approach towards SE. A vision of a whole-school approach based on educating for a sustainable future is presented that can, and did, guide school improvement and reform.

Keywords:

• Primary school education
• secondary school education
• sustainable education
• sustainability education
• systems thinking
• whole-school approach

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors. Pseudonyms have been used to protect participants’ privacy.

Acknowledgments

We thank the school, the teachers and the students who agreed to enable this research.